Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-11-12
NEW Works. FISH MARKET.
The Noisiest and Busiest Spot for It's
Size In All New York Harbor.

The Noisiest and Busiest Spot for It's
Size In All New York Harbor.
Just north Of historic Fulton ferry, and
across South street, exactly opposite his
toric Fulton market, is New York's whole
sale fish market, the noisiest and busiest
spot for its size in all New York harbor.
1t is a two story structure, perhaps 200
feet long, half as wide, and eighteen firms
occupy equal open space in it, extending
from South street back to East river.
The building stands on land leased from
the city, is owned by the Fishmongers'
association, which is composed chiefly Of
these wholesalers, who thus practically
rent from themselves. From seven to ten
'journeymen," or fish handlers, are en-
ployed by each firm. In the slip at the
end Of the building the fishing fleet which
makes New York a market, numbering
100, tie up when In port and discharge
their catches" These smacks are gen
orally schooner rugged, two masted boats,
and one is a model Of another throughout,
although they come here from a distance
OF 1000 miles each way along the Atlantic
coast. The hold Of each ia called q "well,"
and in this n packed in cracked ice the
fish are brought TO market. Up forward
tbNiS 10 SitIdllCI WtH lOT live ISL, &uu
through this the water flows freely.
Work begins at the market at 8 In the
morning, and never ceases an instant un-
til 4 in the afternoon. From daylight the
unloading is pushed until completed. A
block and tackle are rugged at the smack's
head. Wicker baskets holding possibly
2OO pounds of fish are rapidly hoisted from
the well where the smack hands scoop
IIar, M Ia tha -NAax
These are lowered to the deck like surface
OF scors OF cars, or huge floating crates for
live fish and turtles, always at anchor be.
tween the smacks and the market, caught
by men with large steel hooks, dragged
swiftly over the slippery cars, hoisted
into the market, again grabbed and
dragged to the scales, weighed, pitched
into fiat tanks, sorted, packed with fresh
ice III boxes and carried away for ship
ment-all within fifteen minutes after
leaving the smack's well.
The greater portion of the fish received
is disposed of with rapidity as the perma-
nent advance orders will easily permit it;
but all day long the trucks fill South
street in front of the market doors, and
the rush and craze inside are something
terrible indeed. Every one seems wild
with effort; and the banging of baskets,
the changing of scales, the chiseling Of ice,
the clamor of telegraph boys, the bowling
out orders, the smashing and sweeping,
the hammering on boxes, the Quarreling
of journeymen, the yelling upon every
imaginable p~retext, and the really ire
mcndous amount Of labor performed give
the place n wholesome horror for all not
having necessary business with it. In adj
dition 10 the fish brought here by the
fleet, three carloads are sent on every
night from Boston; and all this vast
amount of fish is handled in this compact
space and by these few men. The best
way to realize what this labor, system and
effort must be, is to simply comprehend
the fact that 100000 pounds are required
every day in the year, or 81, 250, 600 an
nually, to feed New York and fill New
York orders, every ounce passing in and
out of this "demnition moist, unpleasant
waterside pandemonium.-Edgar l..
Wakeman's New York Letter.